Technical information

Within the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) there are challenging water usage targets that require the installation of very low flow taps and shower heads and may also need non-potable water supplies from collected rainwater or greywater from baths and showers.

The BRE has been evaluating grey water and rainwater systems for many years and leads the development of a new British Standard for rainwater harvesting (BS 8515).

Hints and Tips

Use the minimum amount of water required when you boil water in saucepans and kettles.

Keep a bottle or jug of water in the fridge instead of running taps until the water runs cold.

Half-load programs on dishwashers and washing machines use more than half the water of a full load - so wait until you have a full load.

Don’t leave the tap running while you brush your teeth as this can waste up to 5L of water per minute.

A 5-minute shower uses about a third of the water of a bath. Power showers can use more water than a bath in less than 5 minutes.